


Mechanic Ice

by vyrtaholic



Category: AU - Fandom, Avengers, Loki laufeyson - Fandom, Tony Stark - Fandom, college - Fandom
Genre: AU, College, Loki - Freeform, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-08-14
Updated: 2015-07-07
Packaged: 2017-11-12 02:30:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/485691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vyrtaholic/pseuds/vyrtaholic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a College AU. Tony and Loki are classmates and the rest is up to you to discover.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

                First day of school (aka hell) and Loki was already in trouble. It seems teachers don’t like when a student corrects them, especially if they have the support of another student and the _kids_ happen to be right, well, at least not _that_ teacher. For some reason, they ended up in the Director’s office by the end of the day, and when you’re in college that can’t possibly be good.

                “Explain.” Director Coulson mumbled, not caring much about whatever it could be.

                “These students are insolent and disrespected me.” Professor Vujik complained.

                “What did your _insolent_ students did this time, Vujik? I’m really not in the mood for your… _misunderstandings_.”

                “We just corrected him, sir.” Loki spoke. “He said that, according to the String Theory, the universe had seven dimensions but only three of them had _exploded_.”

                “Everybody with internet access knows that if String Theory is correct, the universe has nine spatial dimensions and one temporal dimension. In the beginning, they’d be all twisted together and, during the Big Bang, three spatial dimensions: height, width and depth, and one temporal dimension: time, exploded. You can google it, sir.” Stark helped. “With this I rest my case.”

                “What case?”

                “Professor Vujik knows nothing of simple physics and I didn’t come to MIT for this.” He answered.

                “Vujik made a little mistake and…” Coulson tried to defend the professor.

                “Little mistake?!” Loki interrupted. “ _Little_ mistake?! Saying that an emerald shirt is green is a little mistake! This is a crime!”

                “Cut off the gay.” Stark whispered. “What he means is that such a mistake cannot be accepted in this institute.”

                “I am _not_ gay!” Loki replied.

                “You can defend that case later, we’re dealing with something important here, okay, butterfly?” Stark said and turned back to the director. “I demand a new professor; a good one, if possible.”

                “I thought that this was all about your students being insolent, Vujik…” Coulson commented.

                “They are.” Vujik stated.

                “It seems they can defend their side better than you.”

                “What do you know about Physics?!” the professor shot.

                “Look at my wall and then we’ll talk.” Coulson said and looked back to the students. “You two apologize to your teacher and we’ll find a way to get you in class with Professor Giovanni from next week on.”

                “Sorry.” Loki said, wryly.

                “I’m sorry that you’re stupid.” Stark smiled, then grabbed Loki by his arm and left the room.

                “Are you crazy?!”

                “Oh come on! That was fun!” He chuckled. “Let’s go, I need caffeine…”

                “Why would _I_ go with you?”

                “It’s first day of school and you’re too smart to make friends. If you don’t want people to mock you all day every day, you come with me.”

                “This is college! Nobody bullies the smart people here!”

                “Do you _really_ want to test that?”

                Loki sighed. Soon they were in the cafeteria, sitting in a table carefully chosen by Loki just so it wouldn’t be hit by the AC so hard they’d freeze and still close enough for them not to get all sweaty.

                “You’re sitting in my spot.” Loki said as soon as Stark sat down.

                “Sit in my lap if you want, I’m not moving.” He replied. “And I already told you to cut off the gay.”

                “And I told you that I am not gay.”

                “Well, then shut up and sit! It took you so long to choose the bloody table that this coffee is cooler than the coke in that vending machine!”

                Once again, Loki sighed and sat down by Stark’s side.

                “So… What’s your name?” he asked.

                “Stark. Tony Stark. How about you?” The dark-eyed man asked.

                “Loki, you may call me Loki.”

                “Nice to meet you, Loki.”

                “Nice to meet you too, Stark.”

                “Have you heard of the MIT Project?”

                “That group thing we’ve got to do? I was thinking about working alone…”

                “You can’t. It’s called _group_ for a reason.”

                “Do I look stupid to you?”

                “You look _gay_. I can’t say you’re stupid, since you’re familiar with the String Theory.”

                “I am **not** gay!”

                “With a hair like that? You can _not_ be straight!

                “Should I start on that beard?”

                “My beard is manly! Your hair… _not so much_.”

                “You _noticed_ it.”

                “I notice everything.”

                “Prove it.”

                “You’re gay.”

                “You’re impossible.” Loki gave in and chuckled.

                “Does anyone else know?”

                “What?”

                “That you’re gay… I’m guessing you tried to tell your homophobic father and it didn’t go well… That’s why you’re not using your last name.”

                “You’re too nosy, Stark.”

                “I’m just curious…”

                “My father is dead, he’s been dead for years now.”

                “I’m sorry.”

                “Don’t be. He deserved it.”

                “May I ask what happened?”

                “He was an asshole and some blessed soul shot him a couple times.”

                “Did the police ever catch the murderer?”

                “Yes, but he’s free. I paid for his lawyer.”

                “I see.”

                “How about your father?”

                “Dead. An accident they said…”

                “I’m so sorry…”

                “Thanks.”

                “How about we change the subject?” Loki smirked. “You were talking about the project…”

                “Yes, I was. It’s supposed to be groups of four and it’s obvious everyone will want us… I’d like to have you…”

                “And I’m the gay one…” Loki interrupted.

                “You didn’t let me finish!” Stark reacted. “I want you…”

                “That’s really not a good start, Stark…”

                “Stop that!”

                “But it’s fuuuuuuun!” He giggled.

                “I want us to be part of the same group.” Tony said fast enough for Loki not to be able to interrupt him.

                “Yes.” He replied. “Yes to all.” Loki _joked_.

                “I’m straight.”

                “Like spaghetti. Just wait until I heat you up.” He winked.

                “So you admit you’re gay?”

                “No.”

                “I won’t tell anyone…”

                “Aren’t we late?”

                “We have five minutes until next class…”

                “That’s the time of us getting there! Hurry up!” Loki demanded as he stood up.

                Soon they were back in classroom, side by side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, Tash (http://hiddletash.tumblr.com) for correcting this for me!


	2. Chapter 2

                A month had gone and their group project was almost finished, so they decided to take a break to eat and drink, and maybe they could finish it in the morning, since they all were going to sleep in the same house anyway.

                “Hey, how about a game?” The girl in the group suggested.

                “I’m okay with that…” The fourth element replied.

                “I don’t know… there’s still a lot of work to do and… Ask Stark. He’s the leader here anyway…” Loki smirked and kept working on his part.

                “What game do you have in mind?” Stark asked the girl.

                “I was thinking about something easy, like truth or dare or something…” She grinned.

                “Humm…” Stark looked at Loki and back at the girl. “I think we could use a break… Truth or dare it is.” He decided.

                Loki stood up and got his part of the table clean, then walked towards the door.

                “What are you doing?” Stark asked.

                “If we’re not working, I’m going to sleep. The only reason you accepted this game was to ask me if I’m gay, which I will answer with a no and you won’t believe, so I’ll end up having to kiss someone I don’t want to.”

                “You won’t have to kiss anyone, I promise.”

                Loki sighed and put his bag down.

                “Don’t even dare to ask about my sexuality.”

                “I won’t.” Stark promised and made a sign for him to sit by his side.

                The game started and after about 30 minutes of laughter, it was Stark’s time to ask Loki.

                “Truth or dare?”

                “Truth.”

                “Why don’t you tell anyone your last name?”

                “Because I don’t use it. Knowing my surname would be completely useless, unless you’re having my child and need it for the birth certificate.”

                “Why don’t you use it?”

                “You only have the right to one question.”

                “This one.”

                “Family issues. And no, I’m not going to talk about it.” Loki said, and then stood up. “It’s midnight; we all should go to sleep.”

                “He’s right.” Stark stood up. “We have classes in the morning. Rooms are upstairs. You two decide between the first on your left and the first on your right.”

                Stark left the room and Loki followed him.

                “How about me?”

                “You’re staying with me, _princess_ …”

                “Yeah, because that will help a lot with all the gay rumors!”

                “If you refuse, you’re proving me right.”

                “I hate you.”

                “Many people do. You’re not one of them. Now, let’s get to bed.”

                “Stark…”

                “I know what I’m doing, okay? I don’t care if you’re gay or straight or unicorn. You’re my friend and you’re sleeping with me.”

                “But…”

                “No but.” Stark smirked and pulled Loki to his bedroom by his wrist.

                Loki gave in and got ready to sleep, joining Tony in bed afterwards. The lights went down and Tony pulled Loki a little closer.

                “I know you want it, just tell me when to stop if I go too far and you don’t feel ready for it.” Stark whispered.

                “Stark, stop…” Loki begged. “I’m not gay…”

                “Neither am I.”

                “You’re trying to bang me!”

                “That doesn’t make me gay.”

                “Oh, come on!”

                Stark didn’t reply; he just took the opportunity to kiss Loki instead. Firstly, Loki tried to push him away, but soon the push became pulling and Loki kissed Stark back.

                “I knew it…” Stark whispered when their lips broke apart. “This is why you didn’t want to play.”

                “Shut up.” Loki chuckled nervously.

                “I like you, Loki… Really.”

                “You said you weren’t gay.”

                “I’m not. I don’t like men.”

                “You’re here with me.”

                “It’s just you. It’s only you… It’s always been you.”

                “We’ve known each other for a month, Tony. Give it or take a couple days…”

                “ _Exactly_ one month.” Stark replied. “And I never had this connection with anyone.”

                “We’re just good friends, okay? I like you, a lot, but this is wrong… This is really, really wrong. You don’t like men, you said it yourself. Sooner or later it’d end up in a not-so-happy way and I don’t want that.”

                “I want you.”

                “It’s too soon, too fast… And imagine we start _seeing each other_ …”

                “Dating.” Stark corrected.

                “Whatever. Imagine we actually date and it goes okay… One day you’d have to have sex with me, Tony. How do you think that would work? If you’re straight as you say you would never be aroused by a man and I’m a man…”

                “We could work it out… We’re smart people.”

                “Let’s… Let’s just take it slow, okay? A couple kisses every now and then, get to know each other, like actually know each other… Like best friends! Best friends with some _benefits_. And one day, if it all seems to work right, maybe we can go for a relationship of that kind.”

                “Basically you don’t want to admit you’re gay so you’re saying _no_ to the only guy in town that noticed how amazing you are?”

                “I’m not gay.”

                “You like me.”

                “And you like me.”

                “I’ve seen you checking out other men…”

                “Stop it.”

                “What’s the problem?”

                “It’s… Family issues, okay? I don’t want to talk about it.”

                “You can trust me, Loki… You know that, right?”

                “We’re not alone here and I really don’t want to talk about it… It’s a long, long story and it’s not exactly a happy fairytale…”

                “Alright, then.” Stark gave in. “Let’s just sleep.” He smirked and kissed Loki’s lips one last time. “Sweet dreams, _princess_ …”

                Loki sighed. “Sweet dreams, Anthony.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU to my beta readers:  
> http://modernanglophilia.tumblr.com/  
> http://lovingyoutilltheendoftime.tumblr.com/


	3. Chapter 3

                Time passed by and soon enough Christmas break would be creeping up on them. They had yet to finish the last details of their project, but they’d get to it, even if the thought of presenting it to the entire MIT faculty had left Loki feeling a bit sick to his stomach. After all, putting the shiest man on Earth in front of an audience to talk about String Theory was always a _fabulous_ idea. The bright side of the thing was that both Stark and Loki knew every detail of their work and they knew _exactly_ how to defend their point of view, well, this if Loki managed to speak a word. The other two… Well, they weren’t that _comfortable_. During the three months they had to work, they were “too busy” to appear in most of the group reunions, and so Tony and Loki made most of it on their own, and if it wasn’t for Loki to insist, they wouldn’t even have their names on the papers.

                Loki and Stark were watching a movie and eating shawarma when their phones rang. Text message, apparently. “MIT: Presentation next Monday (December 10th) at 9am. Do NOT be late.”

                “Stark…” Loki whispered, getting paler and paler by the second.

                “Yeah?” He replied, without even looking at his _friend_.

                “Monday is tomorrow…”

                Stark put his phone away and looked up to Loki. “Are you okay…?”

                “No…” Loki all but groaned, standing up and running to the bathroom; getting there just in time to empty his stomach of everything he had eaten in the past 6 hours.  
                Tony had run after him; holding the other man’s hair back and keeping it out of the way.

                “There… there…” He whispered.

                “I can’t do it…” Loki looked down, and Stark made him look back up with a gentle push on his chin.

                “Of course you can!” He smirked. “You’re just as good as I am and no one understands String Theory like you do… And I will be there all the time… Right by your side.” Stark stood up and helped Loki get back on his feet. “You’ll do amazingly…” He whispered, putting some toothpaste on a spare brush he had. “Now you get yourself together, we’ve got work to do.” He said, as he handed the toothbrush to Loki.

                “Thank you…” He smiled.

                “That’s what friends are for…”

                “You’re not _just a friend_ …”

                “I’m your best friend, I know…” Stark fixed Loki’s hair. “Now get yourself together, I’m going to get you some chicken soup…”

                Loki smiled and nodded, turning to the mirror as he started brushing his teeth.

                Thirty minutes passed and Loki was already calmer and reviewing his _speech_.

                “Is there any trick not to faint in front of them?” Loki sighed.

                “Everyone says it’s good to imagine the audience naked… In your case you’d either faint faster or have a boner in front of everyone so… Just imagine they’re not there… Imagine the whole room is empty and there’s only you and me. Imagine I’m in the last row and just talk to me…”

                “That could work… If they keep quiet…”

                “This is college, they won’t interrupt you… Especially since I’ll throw things at their heads if they dare to interrupt you…”

                Loki giggled.

                “You’re so silly…”

                “You look better when you smile…”

                “Stop it, you…” Loki blushed.

                “Make me.” Stark teased, pulling him closer.

                “We’ve got work to do and it’s already midnight… We have one hour to finish it and go to sleep. Do _not_ tease me.”

                “We’re ready for it, Loki…” Stark insisted. After much wheedling, the raven haired male sighed and nodded.

                “Five minutes break.” Loki conceded with a soft sigh before putting the papers away to kiss Stark, giving a soft moan as the other male responded quite enthusiastically. “Make it fifteen.” He mussed after pulling back, face flushed.

                Stark nodded and ran his hands down Loki’s torso until feeling the fabric of his trousers touching the tips of his fingers, and so he lead them according to that line, embracing his _friend_ ’s waist. The green-eyed man smiled into the kiss when he felt Stark’s skin against his own, under his shirt, pressing his back to keep the bodies as close as they possibly could. Soon Tony’s hands ran back up, bringing Loki’s shirt along.

                “Stark…” Loki stopped him. “Too soon.”

                “It’s been _too soon_ for four months, Loki. When will it be time?”

                “Not now, not today.” Loki replied and kissed Tony’s lips. “And definitely not on your couch.”

                “I’m not exactly the romantic type of person…” Stark sighed.

                “Well, I am.” Loki sat up. “You won’t take my… _innocence_ just by seducing me after a panic attack.”

                “Fine.” Tony sat up. “You diva.”

                “Bring on the parade!” Loki giggled and kissed Tony. “Now back to work. We’ve got a big day tomorrow and I don’t want to be the biggest fail in MIT’s history.”

                As soon as they got back to work, the yawning started and they ended up falling asleep on the couch, in each other’s arms.

                Seven thirty a.m. and _Highway to Hell_ starts playing all over the place.

                “What the-”

                “Time to get up, _princess_ …” Tony grinned. “Good morning…”

                “Morning.” Loki sat up. “Did you sleep here too?”

                “I was like half of your _mattress_ …”

                “I’ll take that as a _yes_ …” He stood up. “What do you want for breakfast?”

                “You.”

                “Stop it.”

                “Just a couple kisses?”

                “I haven’t even brushed my teeth yet, Edward.”

                Tony made a face and a sad whining noise at that. His nose scrunched up slightly.

                “I don’t care.” Tony finally said as he pulled Loki to his lap, kissing him. “And you’re not allowed to call me Edward for as long as I don’t know your last name.”

                “Anthony it is.” Loki smirked. “Come on, I’m hungry…”

                “Shower first, then I’ll make us some toasts and you’ll make us coffee. We’ll still have time for one last review on our notes and then I’m driving us to MIT and we’re rocking that presentation.”

                “Sounds like a plan…”

                “Now, give me a kiss and I’ll let you go…” Tony said with a suggestive wag of his eyebrow, causing Loki to let out an inelegant snort.

                “You’re ridiculous.” Loki chuckled, slightly shaking his head in amusement.

                Tony shrugged, uncaring.

                “Either that or you’re not showering unless you take me with you.” the other male said resolutely. Loki seemed to give it some thought before an almost sly looking smirk took up his face.

                “Why not both?” He said with a smile before leaning down to kiss Stark; standing up and grabbed Stark’s hand just so he had an excuse to pull him upstairs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for beta-reading this for me, Jane, Pris & Syazana!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, Nevrandil for beta this, I definitely shouldn't write when I'm sleepy xx,  
> Also, I apologize for taking so long. I'll try to post more often from now on, though I can't really promise that because school is starting next week and Mechanics Engineering is hell.

Seven months had passed and they had just gotten out of finals season, which means one thing only: vacations!

“So, where do you want to go this summer? I was thinking Europe…” Stark started.

“I was thinking no.”

“What? Why? It’s our vacations! Together, just the two of us away from every single person we know. Come on…”

Loki sighed, giving it a thought, except he was interrupted by a very loud “ _bip!_ ” from his phone.

“England.” He said after reading his text.

“I thought you wouldn’t want to go there… I was thinking southern Europe…”

“And I have no choice. You can go somewhere else if you choose, but I have to go to London.”

“What happened, Loki?”

“My mum…” he said “She passed away. They say it was cancer… I didn’t even know that woman was sick.”

“I’m so sorry…”

“Don’t be. I hated her about as much as I hated my father.”

“If you still call her _mum_ , you don’t hate her that much.”

“Maybe I don’t, but she deserves I did.” He threw his phone back to the table. “I have to go to the funeral and handle the money stuff… I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t leave me all that much, but I still have to be there to listen to some posh lawyer telling me she didn’t leave me a penny.”

“I’ll go with you, then. Once that is done we can go on our vacation.” Tony nodded.

“Sounds good to me!” he smiled “Except I’m not very fond of the idea of you meeting my brother.”

“Are you ashamed of me?”

“I’m ashamed of him.”

“I couldn’t care less about him.”

“He’s not exactly nice when it comes to me…”

“Then I’ll be the one he’ll have to sass off.” Tony chuckled. “Don’t worry so much.”

“I can’t do that, Tony… I was finally getting over my past and now it’s back to haunt me.”

“What’s so bad about your past you don’t want anyone to know about it?

Loki sat down and served himself some tea. "Remember when I told you my father was murdered?"

"Sure! You said something about your family protecting the guy..."

"Yes. The guy who killed my father was just a child. My father used to attack him over and over and over again, and by _attack_ I do mean rape and every shade of beating up. Somehow, this guy managed to buy a gun after long years of torture. Physical, psychological, emotional and any other kind you can imagine. The attacks had ceased but he still didn't feel safe, so yeah, he bought that thing. He didn't trust anyone, he was afraid of every breathing person, but that gun made him feel safer, protected, so much he actually slept with it in his hand, under the pillow. And everything was going _okay_ , or at least getting there. He was left alone for his studies and all. Until the night it happened again. It was really, really late, like 3 or 4 am and the boy, who was by that time already a teen, was still studying for his exams, even though he should be sleeping. He actually wasn't allowed to be up that late, but he always managed to keep it low. My father had been drinking, so his steps were louder than usual, since he couldn't really control where he'd put his feet. The boy heard him and ran to his bed to pretend to be asleep, and so he held his gun. Then, my father stormed in and started attacking him. That child begged my father to stop, but he wouldn't listen, he just. Kept. Going. So he disabled the safety thing of his revolver, aimed at the monster and pulled the trigger. Over. And over. And over again. My father was dead by the second shot, but the kid wouldn't stop, or maybe he just _couldn't_ do it. To this day, no one knows if he was unloading everything my father put him through or just making sure he'd stay dead. Either way, he didn't stop pulling that trigger until my mother ran in and took the weapon away from him. The neighbors had called the police, so there was no way to get away with murder, except that my family paid for a good lawyer who proved it was self-defense, and he got back to his so-called-life. As soon as he finished high-school he left to never be seen again."

"I'm so sorry..."

"That boy was me, Tony. My mother knew what my father had been doing to me and she never EVER tried to stop him. And then there was my brother. He would actually help my father in finding me and then he'd make fun of me for being “some guy's boy-toy”. That's why I hate my family, and that's why I will never accept my last name.”

"Loki..." Stark hugged him. "What he did was... despicable at the least... You were just protecting yourself..."

"I don't regret it! Never did, never will. Fact is I would do it again, if I had the chance. That son of a bitch ruined my life just because I prefer to stay indoors and read a book over going outside to play football."

"Is it because of him you don't allow me to get any closer?"

"I just hid myself from the world after that. You're pretty much the first person I actually talk to ever since he died. And you're _healing_ me. Slowly, yes, but you're fixing me. You might not notice it, but I do..."

"What about the gay thing...? I've been awful to you on that..."

"You were just kidding and I can take a joke. I am not gay, or straight, or anything in between. I can have everyone but I don't want anyone. Except for you. You're the only person on this planet I care about, the only one who actually got to me, the one I actually like. And you're the only creature I desire. Just like you love women and do not appreciate men, but still you like me and want me, I hate every soul except yours."

"It's not just _like_ , Loki..."

"My last name is Laufeyson, by the way. Don't EVER use it." he interrupted. "Right now, you're the only person who knows everything that there is to know about me. It's up to you to decide what to do with it."

"How about I take this whole conversation to my grave and you choose which flavor of ice cream are we having?"

"You're really taking this easily..."

"I'm actually freaking out, but right now you need some sanity in your life."

"You're adorable." Loki smirked as he leaned in to kiss Stark.

"We're changing your name, by the way. Every decent man deserves a decent last name. I'm giving you mine."

"Not necessary."

"I'm still going to call you Stark as if it was official."

"The only way I'm accepting your last name as mine is by marriage."

"You barely allow me to kiss you in public and now you want to marry me?!"

"I've been trying to protect you and your reputation."

"I don't give a damn about what people say about me, Loki. I just want to be with you and make you happy... Well, at least happy enough to keep you away from weapons." Tony _joked_.

"You asshole!" Loki laughed, punching him on his chest. "You were dying to make that joke!"

"Unintentional pun?"

"Just... Shut up." Loki kissed him.

"Can you say it...?" Tony whispered, looking into Loki's eyes. "Three words, eight letters. Can you say it?"

Loki shook his head.

"It's too early." he said. "And you know it's hard for me to speak of that kind of stuff..."

"But you do feel it, right?"

"I don't know, Edward. But what we have is special, right? You are you and I am me and we are Loki and Stark and it's amazing just as it is..."

"What if I want more...? I don't want to push or anything, I really just want to be able to say it's serious..."

"Just because there is no label on what we have, it doesn't make it any less serious than any other kind of couple. And it's certainly not any less special. This is just you and me and us and it's the best thing that ever happened to me..."

"You are the best I've ever had too, Loki..." he kissed his partner. “You know you're very brave, right? I'm very proud of you..."

"You give me the strength I need."

"Of course! I l-"

Loki interrupted him with a kiss.

"Please don't." he looked into Tony's eyes. "Don't say it..."

"Why not?"

"Because I can't say it back and I'll feel awful for it..."

"I understand you can't say it back, there's no problem..." Stark kissed him.

"Just... Wait for a better time to say it, please... Right after me telling you I murdered my own father is just not... _normal_?"

"Is there anything _normal_ about us?"

"Not really, no..."

"Then, stop complaining." He smiled as he kissed his partner. "I love you."


	5. Chapter 5

                A couple days had passed since the couple landed in Loki’s birth city, but his brother was yet to know of his visit. Only a distant aunt knew about the English man’s return and only because paying for a hotel room would drag enough attention for Loki’s sibling to know he was back, and that would be anything but good.

                “We shouldn’t have come here.” Loki kept saying.

                “Your mother died, it was necessary.” Stark replied.

                “I know that, but still. I don’t really feel like seeing my sweet big brother.”

                “You don’t have to talk to him, just… be there, okay? I’ll be right by your side for as long as you want me to.”

                Loki nodded and walked back to bed to cuddle his partner. The funeral was in the next day. It took longer than usual to happen because of the autopsy and all the bureaucracy it evolves, but the day had finally arrived.

                Tony was the first to wake up, but soon Loki joined him in the shower, and a couple hours later they were entering a black limo; and an hour later they were in the church, but not many people approached to give Loki their kind words. It’s not like they had any trace of niceness in mind when it came to him; to them, he was still the man who murdered his own father for _no reason whatsoever_ and got away with it.

                It didn’t take long for Tony to feel Loki shiver as a tall, blond, godlike man arrived.

                “I take it that’s your brother?” Tony whispered, and all he got back was a quick nod as the man approached them.

                “Brother.” Loki somehow managed to say.

                “Murderer.” He replied.

                “Please, don’t start another fight… Not now…? Have some respect for our mother.”

                “What for? It’s not like she’s coming back to life.”

                “You’re such a bigot, Thor!”

                “Still not a murderer… Unlike you.”

                “I wouldn’t be so sure. I wasn’t the one who let her die.” Loki shot.

                “You were the reason she did.” Thor said, and with it he walked away from his sibling.

                Tony pulled Loki a bit closer, whispering something to his lover’s ear, and it somehow made Loki smirk. They stood together for the rest of the ceremony, until the very end. Loki chose to be the last to leave, so he kindly requested Tony to go back to the limo to give him a couple moments with his mum.

                “Hey, mum…” he mumbled. “Sorry I didn’t get here earlier… No one told me you were sick… Well, even if they did, I’d probably still not come over, but I think you’d understand it… You always did… I know you tried to stop him, you know? It took me a long time to realize it, but I grew up and now I see it… You didn’t _let_ him do it, he mistreated you about as much as he did me, and somehow you were stupid enough to love him… How could you love a monster like that?” Loki took a deep breath. “They say it was cancer… They say you didn’t accept to take any meds or do any therapy… I would ask why, but Thor made it pretty clear it was because of me… In my defense, I must say I’ve asked you to stop smoking since I was 10 until I left…” he chuckled. “I begged you to look after yourself, didn’t I…? But none of that matters anymore… Why am I even trying to make peace with you now? It’s too late.” Loki spoke, tears streaming down his face, as his voice broke. “I… I just wanted you to know that I don’t hate you… I might not like you, but I don’t hate you either… I went through a lot and all I could see from there was you just standing there and let it happen, so asking me to like you is just asking too much… But you are… You _were_ my mum and I love you.” Loki took one deep breath and finally looked up. “I love you, mum.” He repeated, and after a moment of silence he finally decided to go back to the limo where Tony awaited.

                “Are you okay?” he asked, only to get a nod as response. “Come here…” Stark whispered, pulling Loki closer only to hug him.

                “We should stop by the bakery near my parents’ place… I miss their cupcakes…”

                “Anything you want shall be granted, my love…” Tony smirked.

                “Thank you…” Loki said, and then he kept quiet for the rest of the trip. He needed to think and he surely wasn’t in the mood for talking, just sitting there with Tony’s arms around him was the best thing he could think of and he couldn’t let anything ruin it, not even a sound.

                The graveyard wasn’t far from the bakery but there was a bit of traffic, so it took them about half an hour to get there. On foot, it’d have been 20 minutes, but then again, sitting anywhere with his lover’s arms around him is always better than walking under any kind of rain, and the skies did threaten to let it fall in a near future. Loki was almost asleep when the limo stopped, so Tony shook him gently.

                “Loki…?” he whispered. “Are you awake?” the British one nodded and Tony brushed the hair off his face. “We’re here… The bakery is right across the street…”

                “Let’s go, then…” he said, straightening up. “Help me fix my hair, please…?”

                Tony smirked and cupped his face before kissing him.

                “You’re gorgeous in any way.”

                “I didn’t say I wasn’t. These people hate me and they want me to be as unhappy as any soul can be, so I need to look fabulous when I get in there. Now, my outfit’s on point, but my hair got messy during the trip, so please help me fix that so I can make every single one of them go full on _I don’t know if I want to be him or do him_ and hate themselves for it?” Loki requested once again, and Tony obliged.

                Five minutes later, they walked into the bakery; and soon as their already present clients recognized any of them, cameras started popping up towards them.

                “Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Tony complained, rushing Loki into a more hidden table. “I’ll order for us. There’s no need for you to give them what they want.”

                “I’m fairly sure most of those were for you, Stark.” Loki said. “To be honest, I didn’t recognize most of them.”

                “Well, they seemed to recognize you and I’m not having any of that.”

                “Afraid your American friends will find out about us?” Loki teased.

                “I’m pretty sure that 90% of the population of the USA knows I’m taken, and at least two thirds of that knows it’s with a man. I have no problem whatsoever showing up under your wing, my love, I simply thought you wouldn’t like our first photos together to hit the press to be straight out of your mother’s funeral.”

                “You weren’t wrong.” Loki nodded. “Thank you.”

                “So, what do you want me to order for you?”

                “Ask Mrs. Quinn if she still remembers what I used to have. If so, bring that, if not, just get me whatever it is you’re drinking and a random cupcake.”

                “Why are you testing an old lady?”

                “Because that woman is like family to me, and I mean the kind of family one actually likes, not the one I have. I want to know if it’s mutual.”

                “Fine. Have it your way.” Tony sighed and left the table.

                Soon, Tony returned, carrying a pink tray with a black coffee, an empty cup, a tea-pot filled with mint tea with a hint of cinnamon and two cupcakes: one made of dark chocolate with some kind of green topping and golden sprinkles and a vanilla one with whipped cream and a strawberry on top.

                “Thank you.” Loki smiled.

                “She said she’ll come here soon as she can. Said you two need to catch up…” Tony said as he put the tray down. “I agreed to entertain everyone else turning this into a proper appearance of Tony Stark so no one will pay any attention to whatever it is you two are talking about.”

                “You’re a sweetheart.”

                “Only for those who deserve it.” Tony assured, then he kissed Loki’s cheek and picked his cupcake. “This thing better be worth it.” Stark mumbled before he took a bite.

                “If you think that their cupcake and their coffee aren’t worthy of your taste buds after you’re done, I’ll make sure to make it up to you for putting you through such traumatic experience.” Loki joked.

                “And how do you plan on doing that?”

                “I’ll offer you a gift.”

                “Is it all of _Game of Thrones_ DVDs?”

                “Shut up, nerd.”

                “Make me.” Tony grinned as he put his cupcake down.

                “Gladly.” Loki smiled, approaching Tony’s lips with his own as he stealthily grabbed the vanilla cupcake and shoved it in his mouth. “I said _shut up, nerd_.” Loki laughed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much, Danielle, for beta reading for me ♥

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys liked it!


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